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Character Creation
After watching the EQ2 intro movie, your first activity will be to create a character. If you've already created a character, then feel free to skip ahead to The Game Interface guide. Character creation involves the following steps. We will discuss each of these steps in this guide. Note that the order of these steps has changed as of Game Update 57. # Choose your adventuring class # Choose your race # Customize your appearance # Choose a home city # Choose a game server Choosing Your Class :Main Article: Character Classes EQ2 offers a large variety of character classes. There are 26 classes, which are organized into four general archetypes: Fighter, Mage, Priest, and Scout. Each archetype contains four or five neutral classes, one good-only class, and one evil-only class. If you choose a good or evil class, then your choice of starting city will be limited. To select your character class, first choose one of the four archetypes, then choose a class within the archetype. The 26 character classes of Everquest 2 are briefly described below. Fighter Classes Mage Classes Fighters are the most straight-forward classes to play. They have terrific defense, so they can withstand a lot of abuse from enemies, but they also have decent damage output. They can switch between two stances at will, choosing between higher damage output or higher defense. Combat is interactive and (unlike some other games) each fighter class has several utility abilities. ---- Berserker area aggro and damage warrior All cities Guardian heavily defensive warrior Bruiser offensive light tank Monk offensive light tank ---- Paladin healing tank Good cities only Shadowknight tank-mage Evil cities only Mages are challenging and dramatic classes to play. They are fragile, and can only wear cloth armor. Each mage gets a diverse set of spells, and a few new spells every level. High damage and powerful effects are characteristic of mage spells. Mages deal damage from a distance, while trying to avoid being damaged themselves, and each mage class gets different tools to accomplish this. ---- Warlock master of area damage All cities Wizard master of nukes Illusionist master of crowd control Coercer master of power shifting and charm ---- Conjuror strong pet & high damage Good cities only Necromancer strong pet & versatility Evil cities only Priest Classes Scout Classes Priests are healers, and each priest class excels at a different style of healing. Some priest classes are more versatile, while others are more focused on defense and preservation, but all priests seek to win combat by outlasting the enemy. While priests can deliver damage to their enemies, they are forced to cast healing spells to win most fights. ---- Fury offensive druid All cities Warden defensive druid Channeler range heals & pet class Templar defensive cleric Inquisitor offensive cleric ---- Mystic offensive shaman Good cities only Defiler defensive shaman Evil cities only Scouts are challenging in a different way from mages. They deal great amounts of damage, usually from close proximity to their enemy, but they can only withstand attacks for a brief time. Their fights are short and intense, and some of their attacks require repositioning around the enemy. Scouts perform at their best when a friend is available to hold the enemy's attention. ---- Dirge melee buffing bard All cities Troubador caster buffing bard Assassin positional attacker Ranger master of ranged attacks Beastlord hybrid pet class ---- Swashbuckler area damaging rogue Good cities only Brigand debuffing rogue Evil cities only Choosing Your Favorite Class When choosing your class, the main thing to consider is what style of play you prefer. Through the various classes, EQ2 gives you the choice of many different types of gameplay. All of the standard types of fantasy characters are available, although they might not have the exact names that you're familiar with. Those described as having a "pet" rely heavily on another entity their character controls (not unlike a sheep herder needs a good herding dog) to excel. These may be ethereal, undead, or creature entities that show as a secondary avatar on the screen with the character; pet classes must learn to "use" the various abilities tied to their pets, as those abilities are integral to how the character created by a player operates. If you choose one of the Good or Evil classes, be aware that your subsequent choice of race and starting city may be very limited. If you choose one of the Neutral classes, then more races and cities will be available to you. Regardless of which class you choose, rest assured that you'll be able to solo and group. One area that Everquest 2 has done fairly well in is class balance. Every class is capable of fulfilling its archetype's role in a group, and every class has the tools necessary to kill monsters solo. Of course, some classes kill monsters much faster than others, and certain classes are more highly valued in groups/raids. But every EQ2 class has at least moderate soloability as well as group utility. *As of March 7th 2013, All EQ2 Free-To-Play accounts have access to any Class. The only exceptions are the Beastlord and Channeler Classes, which still need to be purchased. The Beastlord and Channeler Classes are available for purchase in the Marketplace (Beastlord Class formerly available as part of the Age of Discovery expansion, the features of which are now sold separately in the marketplace.) Choosing Your Race :Main Article: Character Races EQ2 gives you a huge list of fantasy races to choose from. Each race has a distinct appearance and unique starting stats. '''Certain races will be unavailable if you chose a Good or Evil character class.' If your favorite race is not available, then you may need to push the "Back" button and rethink your choice of character class. Betrayal is one way to get the class/race combination you want. For example, you can create a Froglok Paladin, and then betray from Good to Evil to become a Froglok Shadowknight. > Good Races Neutral Races Evil Races Start in New Halas or Kelethin Start in several cities (varies) Start in Neriak or Gorowyn Dwarf Stout and sturdy but brash, known for their bravery and devotion Fae Friendly and light-hearted, they enjoy playing tricks on the unwary Froglok Morally virtuous, they strive to purge villainy and corruption Halfling Amiable to anyone willing to share a warm meal and a grand table High Elf Benevolent but arrogant, they strive for order and discipline Wood Elf Pleasant and friendly, they are fierce protectors of the woodlands Aerakyn Once the unwilling soldiers of the great Prismatic Dragon, the Aerakyn are now free to re-establish their culture on Norrath Barbarian Hearty and strong, they are loyal companions and unforgiving enemies Erudite Eschew all ties to their less intellectual human ancestry Gnome Constantly tinkering with devices both mystical and technological Half Elf Caught between cultures, known for their independent spirit Human Diverse and adaptable, sometimes wise and sometimes foolish Kerran Their docile demeanor masks these fearsome and powerful predators Ratonga Agile, crafty, and surprisingly charismatic, little is known of their past Freeblood Not hindered by many of the known weaknesses of the vampire race Arasai Children of hate and dark magic, they take pleasure in torture Dark Elf Sinister and cunning, the embodiment of evil and maliciousness Iksar Harsh but disciplined, they delight in cruelty and conquest Ogre Aggressive brutes who show their opponents neither sympathy nor mercy Sarnak Unflinchingly dedicated, bred and altered to be the fiercest military Troll Care only about satisfying their hunger for food and lust for battle Considerations When Choosing Race :See also: Race/Class Comparison Race has little effect on what your character is capable of doing. Gender has no effect at all. Feel free to choose whatever race you find interesting and discover its benefits and drawbacks as you play the game. * Each race has unique starting stats, such as strength and intelligence, but these differences lose their importance by the time you progress to the mid-levels. * Each race gets certain innate abilities and certain racial traits to choose from. These are described in the Main Article. One of the lasting differences between races is their height. All races run at the same speed, but tall races give the impression of being slower, because their viewpoint is so high above the ground. This might influence your choice of race. You can change most aspects of your character later, but you can't change her/his race unless you purchase a Race Change Potion in the EQ2 Marketplace. *As of March 7th 2013, All EQ2 Free-To-Play accounts have access to any Race. The only exceptions are the Freeblood and Aerakyn Races, which still need to be purchased. They are available in the EQ2 Marketplace. Customize Your Appearance Everquest 2 was one of the first games with detailed face customization. Although you cannot change your body shape, you can make a unique appearance thanks to the large number of hair styles and colorations available. Some races also get to customize certain visual accessories, such as horns, crests, eyewear, tatoos, or scales. Your appearance choices made here are not permanent: you can visit a Barber Shop within the game world to purchase a makeover whenever you wish. There is a cost associated with this, which is out of reach of the lowest level characters. Your Alternate Appearance EQ2 has two sets of character models available to choose from. The primary character models that you see during character creation were produced by Sony's Japanese studio in 2006, and are somewhat Asian-themed. The original EQ2 character models from 2004 have been deprecated, and are called the alternate character models; you will only see them if you specifically enable them. The screenshots that you see here on EQ2i usually use the 2004 character models, rather than the newer 2006 models. *You can customize the appearance of both the SOGA and original character models in the character creation process or by switching to the opposite model before you go to the barber later. * You can choose whether you want to see the world with alternate character models or not (see the Options Window). You can toggle this setting, while playing EQ2, to immediately see each type of character model. * Other players will choose whether they view your character in "original" or "alternate" form. You cannot control which of your two appearances that they choose to view. * You can customize your character's "alternate appearance" from the Character Selection screen. Barber Shops let you change both of your appearances. * Aerakyn, Arasai, Fae, Freeblood, Froglok, Iksar, Kerra, Ratonga, Sarnak, and Troll do not have alternate models. Choosing Your City Before you begin gameplay, you must first choose your home city. All starting cities are either Good or Evil. Your choice of city is restricted by your class and race. If you chose a neutral race and class, then your selection of city will determine your final alignment - in other words, whether the world considers you to be Good or Evil. Good Cities Queen's Colony, The Isle of Hope: Aligned with the city of Qeynos, this temperate island within the Shattered Seas is more than a refuge for those rescued by the Far Seas Trading Co., it is an isle of hope! From here you will begin your walk along the path of light, gaining skills and prestige, giving aid to those in need, and battling the forces of darkness that threaten all of Norrath. New Halas, The Reborn City: New Halas, namesake of the original city of the Northmen destroyed by cataclysm and war, sits in the heart of the isle of Erollis: a treacherous land of biting temperatures and aggressive fauna within the freezing waters of the Frostfang Sea. Originally a village of war hardened dwarves, it has since grown due to being blessed by Mithaniel Marr and reconnected with the Shattered Lands of Norrath. Kelethin, Home of the Fae: Kelethin, built amongst the green canopy in Greater Faydark, this is home to the Fae and other folk who wish to live in harmony with nature. Though the city itself is sheltered, can there ever be peace with orcish legions patrolling so near at hand? Evil Cities Outpost of the Overlord, The Isle of Opportunity:'Aligned with the city of Freeport, this temperate island within the Shattered Seas is more than a refuge for those rescued by the Far Seas Trading Co., it is an isle of opportunity! whether wrested from the weak or obtained through great feats, it is here where you will begin hoarding wealth and power, securing your legacy within the shadowy remnants of Norrath. 'Neriak, The City of Hate: Neriak, the seat of the malevolent Tier'Dal empire, lies deep within the Ashfall Crags near Nektulos Forest. It has arisen now with bared teeth, a gleaming city of magics and merciless superiority - a perfect reflection of Innoruuk's tenets, ruled by Queen Cristanos through fear and sadistic intimidation. Gorowyn, The Vehement Isle: The Sarnak have constructed Gorowyn, a grand and formidable city, within the heart of a volcanic archipelago in the ocean of Timorous Deep. They allow outsiders, but use caution as you venture through the streets, as tempers can boil faster than the sulphorous water they overlook. Note: Since May 2010, Qeynos and Freeport have been disabled as starting cities. These two old cities will return as starting locations at a later date in some improved form. The remaining available starting cities are listed above. Since July 2012, only New Halas and Neriak are available as starting cities for your first character to ensure the best experience for a new player. The other choices become available for your second and following characters. Choosing a Character Name Characters in Everquest 2 must have at least four letters in their names. First names can not contain any special characters, like hyphens or apostrophes. Choose your name carefully if you want to Roleplay later, as names that are intended to be ironic, potentially offensive, or that mimic Internet memes will diminish your chance at acceptance in the community. This can also hold true for non-roleplaying guilds that may view such names as disruptive or childish. In other words, names like Youmadbro are discouraged. Names can be changed with the purchase of the Potion of Amnesia for 950SC ($9.50 US) from the Station Marketplace. At level 20 you will be able to give your character a last name. To do this, press C to open the Character equipment and information window and click on the Options Tab. Click the Change button at the top of the window to give your character a last name. Last names can contain an apostrophe. Using an apostrophe is common in dark elf last names, because this pattern is established by lore and by Non-Player Characters in the world of EQ2. Choosing Your Server Finally, choose the Game Server that your character will reside on. If you're planning to play with friends, then you'll want to make sure that you pick the same server that they play on. Everquest 2 will automatically recommend a low-load server for your new character, but we recommend that you choose a high-load server for your first EQ2 experience. This will give you the most fellow players to interact with and learn from. Unlike some other games, EQ2 servers never have queues to login, and player grief is rare, so don't be shy. There may be communities of your country/language playing in some of the servers - look it up at Google for specialized websites and/or forums. Choosing the Right Server Here are some things to keep in mind when choosing a server: * If you're playing during off-peak hours, then the servers will probably all be listed at "Light" load. To get a good idea of which servers are busiest, create your character during North American prime time if you're American - use that procedure for others servers also: ** The French server is called Storms. ** The German server is called Valor. ** The Japanese server is called Sebilis. ** The English-language European server is called Splitpaw. ** The Russian servers are Barren Sky and Harla Dar. * You may be interested in PvP (player versus player), but the last remaining non-TLE PvP server (Nagafen) closed down during the server merges of 2015. Characters from Nagafen were merged with those of Freeport and Permafrost to form the Skyfire (PvE) server. The PvP TLE server is Deathtoll. *Roleplay servers are servers where players are encouraged to stay in-character, as if their character was talking and not the player. **The roleplaying server is Antonia Bayle. **The Russian roleplaying server is Barren Sky. *Prior to December 2011 the free-to-play EQ2 Extended (EQ2X) version of the game ran on its own server, Freeport. It was separate from the "EQ2 Live" subscription-only servers. **Players who want to try the game for free can now create characters on any server, though the limitations of free-to-play still apply. *If you select the Public Test region on the patcher, you will have the test servers available as options. These servers are not recommended for a first-time player, as they contain largely untested content. Think of the test servers as a beta version of the next update. **There are two test servers available, Test and Beta. Test is always available and operates very similarly to other Live servers, whereas Beta is only available at certain times throughout the year. **You can copy a character from any regular server to the Beta server by using the Beta Copy button on the character select screen. Moving to Another Server Once you've chosen a server, the only way to move your character to another server is to spend 2500DBC (Daybreak Cash) for the Server Transfer Token. The ServerTransfer Token lets you move characters between servers and change your character's name. If you want to move characters between accounts, you need fill out a petition; it will cost $25 for the transfer. For detailed instructions on how to purchase a Server Transfer Token in-game, see the Everquest II character transfer instructions in Daybreak's Knowledge Base. To be eligible for a transfer, your account must be older than at least 60 days, and you must have a recurring subscription.